LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 265, 29 July 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The report of the Defence Expenditure ConmiissWn will be released for publication during this week, probably early in the week.

As far as the supplies of State coal are concerned, the pressure was eased on Saturday. The Kanio arrived on Friday afternoon with 700 tons of 'household coal, and lias left a?ain for Greymoutli to lift another 1000 tons for this port. Owing to the shortage of suitable men for tho carts, the delivery of the Kamos coal will take a few days, but the Department is doing its very best to cope with orders, which, naturally, have been very heavy during tho past' fortnight, owing to the cold weather which has been experienced in Wellington. Tho Kom.'ita arrived from Greymoutli yesterdny with another load of coal for the State depot.

Iu view of recent cable messages as to tho spread and virulence.of the new influenza epidemic in England and on (Die Continent, inquiry was made by a Dominion" reporter as to whether the local ;nedi< cal fraternity had been advised of the new epidemic through the professional journals. A recent calble message slated that 5000 deaths from influenza had occurred in Birmingham alone, and another declared that tho last German effensivn had been delayed by its ravages among the rank and file of the Gorman Army Dr. '.Barclay, superintendent of the Wellington Hospital, informed a reporter that so far ho had not noticed anything bearing on the epidemic in tho TJnjlish medical journals. As to whether it would travel tKis way, Dr. Barclay, taking Iho past as a guide for the future, said that we wore, almost sure to get it in a year or eighteen months, as we did tho formidable ""la grippo" of the 'nineties. Though there was small doubt that tho new iiilluciwn, would in lime reach Now Zealand, it would probably come in a weakened form, as was the case with 'Ha grippe."

The hearing of the rase on appeal in tho Supreme Court of tho ■Wellington Publishing Company, Ltd., v. C. P. Vallanco, farmer, Feathorston, will bo continued this morning.

During Friday night 11 degrees of frost were registered'in Wellington, and sineo ISCS no suck record has been tuken. 'L'ko readin;,' was over a degree lower than lias keen experienced for Home. time. The. previous occasion on which wo. had U degrees of frost was on. August 1, 189 S. it may bo men Honed that in ISCB there were, lower temperatures given, but u critical examination of Iko conditions has inclined tho Dominion Meteorologist lo disregard tho rending, the instrument at that time being apparently out of order. Terrestrial radiation thermometers are liable to get out of order, and it is thought that is what happened in 18CS. Checks by a second instrument are neces : sary. Another heavy frost was also recorded ill Auckland, and at 9 a.m. on •Saturday Bealey reported a temperature of 12, which gives 20 degrees of frost, in tho shade. This reading was confirmed by special telegram on Saturday morning. Mr. Bates believes that Friday night was the coldest that has ever been experienced in Wellington.

About a quarter 'lo six on Saturday evening Constable Cloverley, of thn wharf police, noticed a man leaving Ike Kailway Wharf with something wrapped up in an oilskin. Ho accosted the mini. who was a waterside worker, and found that lie was carrying a leg of mutton in the oilskin. The man had been working on the collier Knino, and as the. constable was taking him back to thai vessel to niako investigations, he met tho ship's cook, who was coming ashore to complain to the police tl\at a leg of mutton intendtd for Sunday's dinner had been stolen from the safe. The watersider was charged jvith the theft, and ho will appear before tho Magistrate's Court this morning.

During the course of tho Trcntham APotone match at tho Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon a Petono player, named Herbert Poole, was injured. At one stage of the game the play 'oceanic very willing, and Poolo received an accidental kick which resulted in his jaw being fractured. He was admitted,to tho Hospital for treatment at 4.45 p.m. Several of the other players were sdso hurt, including Thomas, a Petono man, who suffered slight concussion. After receiving attention he was able to proceed to his home. The. game between College and University on No. 2 ground was also keenly contested, one of tho players losing several of his teeth in tho closing stages of the second spell.

Tho French National Day Fund in Christehurch had on' Friday last reached a total of JJ7O9.

In (he last list of those, of tho First Division called up appears the nauio of .1-1. Seioii Montgomerio, who has been in tho Flying Corps in England and Trance for the past two years or more, lie was wounded while living some months ago, hut after a. bullet was extracted from his leg ho soon recovered, and at latest reports was again flying "somewhere in France." Hb is a son of Mr. Bogcr Montgomerie. who left Wanganui early in the war to do what lie could to assist in war work. Mr. Montgomerio was over age, while his two sons were too young to enlist in New Zealand, ond in consequence tho wholo family went to England Tho two bovs are in tho Flying Corps, the daughter in tho New Zealand Base Keeords Office, while Mr. Montgomerio 'himself is engaged in tho Forestry Department, obtaining timber for shipbuilding. When his manager was called up hero Mr. Monlgonicrie's application for leave to return to New Zealand was refused by the Board of Trade on the ground that lie was engaged in most essential work of national importance, and on thin being represented to the Military Appeal Board by his attorney his manager was given leave until after shearing.

liespecting the law applying to the amalgamation of boroughs, which was quoted in Saturday's Dominion, it should be mado clear that in regard to the representation of those boroughs on tho council succeeding tho union, an amendment to the Municipal Corporations Act made in 1015 limits the number of members of the borough councils representing tho boroughs so united to three members each. Formerly tho whole of the members of eucli borough councils bocame members of the new council, tho admission of all the members being considered to be cumbersomo and unnecessary.

Councillor Budd intends to move al this week's meeting of the Onslow Borough Council: "That a committee consisting of the Mayor and Councillors Appleton, Bowden, and tho mover be set up to report on the disposal of tho catchment aroa."

Humour never dies amongst the soldiers in France, says Adjutant John Bladin, who has just returned from a lengthy sojourn in the war zone. Tho Salvation Army ambulances havo done wonderful work behind tho lines, and stories of the heroism and endurance of those in charge of them are as plentiful as leaves in.spring. Last Christmas olio of the ambulances was trundling along with a load of wounded, when a young officer, seeing tho Salvation Army badges, sang out—"l suppose you are taking those fellows to heaven I" "I don't know so much about that," 6aid the driver, "but we've just left tho other place!" (Toot! Toot!)

Miss May Burke .and Mrs. Bambery, who were wounded at the time their brother George was murdered at Gemrnell's Crossing, aw making a slow recovery. Mrs. Bambery is still in the Oamaru Hospital, and it will bo sonv> time yet before she is .about the wounds healing very slowly. Her sistci is undergoing special treatment in tha Dnnedm : Hospitai. The condition of her left arm, which was shattcredby a bullet,' is still causing some anxiety.

Tt. is understood that the German bells taken from tho old German Church in Christcburcn are to be melted down, and the metal kept for dispatch to France. Whether the motel will bo presented in a suitable form of memorial to the heroism of the French Allies is not certain, but it- is probable that this course may be followed. Mr. George Humphreys, French Consular agent at Christchurch, has not yet received any official word as to the disposal of the bells (says the Cliristcliurch ".Star"), but it is understood that the matter lias been the subject of corresnnmlenco betwen Sir James Allen and the "Consul at Auckland.

A lot of clioico flowers, received from Wellington, were (says the "Otago Daily Times" of Saturday) to have been offered for salo in connection with the street collection arranged with tho object of raising funds as Otago's tribute to tho glorious part played by France since tho outbreak of war. Unfortunately ihe collation was postponed, and for a limo the authoritie's were faced with the prospect of the flowers being left on their hands. A well-known sheep-breeder, however, who has already sent a contribution to the fund to Wellington, purchased some of tho blooms for ,£lO, and the authorities were able to dispose ot th'u remainder to tho local florists.

A married man named Orlando Powroy Lagor died suddenly at his residence, 2D Fentherston Terrace, on Saturday night. Deceased, who was (15 years of age, was out in the afternoon helping a friend lo fell a. bluegmn tree, and on his return home he complained to his wife about ■severe pains in the region of tho heart. He retired to lied, and about U p.m. li? appeared to have difficulty in breathing. A few minutes later he expired, Dr. Pattie was summoned, but was unable to return a certificate as to the cause of death. An inquest will probably bo held.

Iti a letter to his brother, Mr. 0. B. Pemhorton, secretary of the Canterbury •Wicultnral and Pastoral Association, Captain T. J. Pembertoii, formerly a member of the "Lyttelton Times" literary staff, states that he has again been wounded. The wound on this occasion was in the hand, and blood poisoning setting in, Captain Pemberton had to spend five weeks in hosnital in Prance, later I-eiii" "rnnM throe weeks' furlough in Kn"huul In the course of his letter Captain Pcmberlon slates that ho had quite an exciting experience m No Mans Land He was out on that very dangerous area with a reconnoitring party when German snipers commenced to harry them, and for close upon an hour he had to lie in a sheltered spit while, the Imllet= from the snipers' rifles spattered tic earth all round him. Ultimately ho managed to crawl safely back to his trench. Captain rembovtoii, who was in Pnclaud when the war started, is atfacbed to tho Bedfordshire Regiment, and he Eas been on active service tor close upon four years.

A. strong delegation of Hawkc's Bay chemists will attend a meeting of the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Society at Wellington on August 6 and 7. Among the matters to bo considered is the difficulty of maintaining a satisfactory pharmaceutical service, owing to so many chemists and their staffs being called up. Out of seven chemists in Napier, five were drawn iu recent ballots, and tho other two exa eligiole.

Although Saturday and yesterday wero marked by clear sunshiny weather, there ;ire still signs of tho severe cold snap which was experienced in Wellington last week. The clarity of the atmosphere during the last two days has revealed a glorious picture. The head of tho Jlutt Valley, usually filled in by a rango of misty, drab-coloured mountains, has become transformed, for tho Tararuas stand out magnificently in a deop mantle of snow, gleaming white in !lio afternoon sunshine. It is probable that this range has not for a. great' number of years past been given such a heavy coat of snow. The steep Orongorongo Eiuiges, visible to the oast of the entrance la tho harbour, havo also been caught in winter's relentless grip, and have been streaked with snow in a highly picturesque manner. Those interested in orchard work rather welcome the visitation. The advent of snow and frosts in tho proper season is said to -be an advantage, as the intense cold kills off many of the germs of fruittree diseases, which become active as the warm weather approaches.

Adjutant John Bladin, of the Salvation Army, who has just returned to Wellington from France, tells n story illustrative of the misery that is being undergone by the refugees of Northern France. About twelve months ago a French woman and hen" small son were about to leave their home on a little farm before the annroach of the Germans, when a «hell lauded close to them and killed the woman. The lad, in a dazed condition, wandered aimlessly about 'Uilil he was seized by a couple of German soldiers, and as tliev wero dragging him along with those tender, attentions so peculiar to the linns they were taken prisoners by a. British patrol. The boy stuck to his English friends, tramping round the broken country, and when they were ordered to Btaples for a spell ho went with them. But the civil population ct Franco wore not permitted to enter, the military areas there, so the lad had to be cast adrift, siller sixteen days tramping. Ho was next observed helping lo clear away tho cups and cans in the Salvation Army buffet near tho station, and when accosted by one of tho lady officers told his sorry story and wound up by saving that ho had tasted no food for two duvs. Then the motherly heart o the woman wont out to the boy. and when Adjutant Bladin put in an appearance and was told the story he gave the officer £'i to fit tho boy out in new clothes and boots, arid ordered Inm to "be fed up for a bit." Adjutant Bladin «aid that no ono can imagmo tho noirc.TS of the refugees' sufferings in 1 ranee and in that regard thought that to organisation was not so good as it might

be. An old resident affirms (says the Olago Daily Times") that not since- 1802 has there been such a heavy Ml of mow in tho Waikouaiti County as ha? been the experience this year. ■ Large numbers or sheep' hav& been buried in tho out country, one rmiholdor staring that during last week his men extricated 100, somo of them buried beneath 10ft. of snow. Ho pointed out that the burial of sheep in this way was- not brought about entirely by the abnormality in the fall'of snow, but by Hie incidence of deep drifts caused by tho strong southwest gale which has prevailed. Tho wind almost completely denuded the, exposed faces of snow, which was driven into the. gullies and on to tho land facing tm sun. Tho sheep take shelter from the driving snow, and are thus buried in tho gullies. No actual losses have been recorded to date, but it is feared tbat mortality can hardly be avoided. Somo of tho sheep are buried in almost inaccessible parts, and parties of men are out in tho hope of saving them.

.Shortly before the departure of the south boat on Saturday afternoon, two intending nassengers went into an hotel near the waterfront to have some refreshment. They left their portmanteaux in the passage, and proceeded to one of the bars. When they emerged it was found that one of the bags was missing. Complaint was made to the police, and as a result of inquiries Detective Carney arrested a man early in tho evening on a charge of stealing a portmanteau. The accused was takon to the lock-up, and will bo brought before the Magistrate s 'Jcurl this morning.

The disposal of next season's butter output was referred to in Auckland on Thursdav evening by Mr. 11. B. Pacey, managing director of the New Zealand Dairy Association, who veturned lo Auckland the day beforo after attending tho meeting of the Dominion Butter Committee at Wellington on Wednesday., He said that as no reply had been received from the Imperial authorities to the cabled representations of the committee no definite position had been reached. Tho marketing system in connection with the butter disposal had been discussed by the committeo wife a view to remedying the injustice suffered by suppliers of the local ma»ket as compared with tho exporters, and a unanimous recommendation had been made that an equalisation fund should bo established to place list season's operations on mi equitable basis An equalisation fund for next season had alto been arranged. Four bovs, whoso ages ranged from cloven to fourteen years were charsed no. fore Mr. W. G. Biddell, S.M., ;n the Juvenile Court, on Saturday, wi h havin* stolen the sum of Kb. from the Car-•u-n. Coinnany. F-ach of the acensed Pleaded guilty. Two of the lads Tintl been in the Nelson Industrial School and were out on probation at tho tune the offence was committed. > They were ordered to be sent bade to the inrtitnlion Tho other two lads were ordered to report to the Probation Officer once a week for six months.